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Alienware Alpha first impressions and benchmarks

I

itchyass86

Member
icecold1983 said:
developers will get better at multi-threaded code and games will be designed around the ps4s limitations. the i3 wont actually bring any benefit to that 860m. hf playing with low textures and lots of stuttering and hitching with that 4gb/2gb ram setup. even cards substantially more powerful are already offering poor experiences with that lousy 2gb of vram.
Click to expand...

Thank you for bringing your knowledge and experience of this product into this discussion. Have you any trouble using the newest Nvidia Drivers?

I've installed Geforce Drivers 344.75 and 3DMark Vantage seems to have jumped by a few points. Can't say I'm not dissapointed by the overwhelming amount of support. What say you?

Did you like the IEEE 802.11ac wireless connection on the Alpha? What kind of range did you get when you positioned it 40 feet away from a wireless router? Honestly I thought that the device's wireless connectivity was gonna be pretty bad because I can't see the antenna, and it doesn't have an antenna built into a screen - like a laptop does. However, the router is at the other end of the house, and I'm still able to use Gamestream with the Nvidia Shield just fine where I'm currently situated.

Also, were you able to install an SSD into that small box? I find it amazing that anything can fit in there. It's smaller than my Wii U, but I love that I can take the Alpha apart and change out the hard drive when it comes time to migrate to a solid-state.

Were you able to test out the new Steam Broadcasting beta on it? I had a couple of friends test out this device with Steam Broadcasting, and it seems to work well enough. There weren't any dropped frames or hiccups, and we were able to play Wolfenstein The New Order, Saints Row IV, and Dark Souls without lowering the settings, which was nice. I'm pretty amazed that Steam Broadcasting works as efficient as it does.
 
L

littlepooch21

Member
outunderthestars said:
I'd love to hear from other owners as well. I love mine and play it almost every day. :)
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How has your's been going? I have been eyeing this thing since the announced it but haven't pulled the trigger yet. I currently have an Xbox One but am not 100% into it. Do you currently play it at 1080p? If so are you playing on high setting or more like medium? What model did you have again? What type of games do you play?
 
O

outunderthestars

Banned
littlepooch21 said:
How has your's been going? I have been eyeing this thing since the announced it but haven't pulled the trigger yet. I currently have an Xbox One but am not 100% into it. Do you currently play it at 1080p? If so are you playing on high setting or more like medium? What model did you have again? What type of games do you play?
Click to expand...


I have had no problem playing games at 1080 and high, even titanfall.

I bought the i5 version with 8gb of ram.

I've mostly been playing indie stuff and older games. Playing through Fallout 3 at the moment with a bunch of graphics mods. :)
 
L

littlepooch21

Member
outunderthestars said:
I have had no problem playing games at 1080 and high, even titanfall.

I bought the i5 version with 8gb of ram.

I've mostly been playing indie stuff and older games. Playing through Fallout 3 at the moment with a bunch of graphics mods. :)
Click to expand...

wow that's sweet. i have been thinking about the i5 version also. i used to have a gaming cpu but got tired of having to sit at my desk to play it. i have some games on Steam already so i could start getting into it pretty quick.

i'm just wondering if i should spend the extra money on the i5 version or if that i3 will work just fine.
 
A

AngmarsKing701

Member
littlepooch21 said:
wow that's sweet. i have been thinking about the i5 version also. i used to have a gaming cpu but got tired of having to sit at my desk to play it. i have some games on Steam already so i could start getting into it pretty quick.

i'm just wondering if i should spend the extra money on the i5 version or if that i3 will work just fine.
Click to expand...
I'm leaning toward the i5 but would love the price to come down some.
 
W

wachie

Member
NervousXtian said:
Find me a better value in an off-the-shelf gaming PC. Go ahead, find me one.
Click to expand...
I'll buy from NCIX where I pick all the (better) parts on sale and will gladly give them $50 to build and test it for me.

Is that "off-the-shelf" enough for you or some how your move the goal post again? Why are why limited to "off-the-shelf" when it comes to PC, an open-platform whose biggest strengths is the fact that YOU CAN BUILD ONE YOURSELF.

Yes, this PC is terrible value in my opinion.
 
L

littlepooch21

Member
wachie said:
I'll buy from NCIX where I pick all the (better) parts on sale and will gladly give them $50 to build and test it for me.

Is that "off-the-shelf" enough for you or some how your move the goal post again? Why are why limited to "off-the-shelf" when it comes to PC, an open-platform whose biggest strengths is the fact that YOU CAN BUILD ONE YOURSELF.

Yes, this PC is terrible value in my opinion.
Click to expand...

try building one that is this small. it just won't happen.
 
O

outunderthestars

Banned
littlepooch21 said:
yeah that is what's holding me back right now. wonder if the i3 would work just fine.
Click to expand...

Yea. Thankfully I was able to buy mine for $625 or so during some sort of Amazon sale. :)

wachie said:
I'll buy from NCIX where I pick all the (better) parts on sale and will gladly give them $50 to build and test it for me.

Is that "off-the-shelf" enough for you or some how your move the goal post again? Why are why limited to "off-the-shelf" when it comes to PC, an open-platform whose biggest strengths is the fact that YOU CAN BUILD ONE YOURSELF.

Yes, this PC is terrible value in my opinion.
Click to expand...

Ummm, if anyone is moving goalposts, it would appear to be you. And yes, you can save money by building anything yourself. This is not a new point that you are bringing up.
 
L

littlepooch21

Member
outunderthestars said:
Yea. Thankfully I was able to buy mine for $625 or so during some sort of Amazon sale. :)



Ummm, if anyone is moving goalposts, it would appear to be you. And yes, you can save money by building anything yourself. This is not a new point that you are bringing up.
Click to expand...

Dang wish it would drop again lol
 
dugdug

dugdug

Banned
littlepooch21 said:
Does anyone else have this? Can you give your input on how you like it and how your experience has been?
Click to expand...

I've been really enjoying mine. I shelled out for the i7 version.

Playing everything in 1080p and 60 fps, so far. However, the only game from this year that I've played on it is Titanfall. Runs smooth as hell.
 
A

A Twisty Fluken

Member
preliminary testing on this is not that bad, though this thing is clearly not ready for primetime. once i got some of the various kinks worked out (the beta drivers, a 60hz fix for games like MGR over hdmi (not unique to this system at all)), i've been pretty impressed with the performance

the actual real world experience is super janky and i'm SHOCKED they actually have the balls to market this as a console, but as a cheapish, compact gaming pc, this is pretty cool, and it's a shame that something like this is something that was relatively new to the market
 
L

littlepooch21

Member
A Twisty Fluken said:
preliminary testing on this is not that bad, though this thing is clearly not ready for primetime. once i got some of the various kinks worked out (the beta drivers, a 60hz fix for games like MGR over hdmi (not unique to this system at all)), i've been pretty impressed with the performance

the actual real world experience is super janky and i'm SHOCKED they actually have the balls to market this as a console, but as a cheapish, compact gaming pc, this is pretty cool, and it's a shame that something like this is something that was relatively new to the market
Click to expand...

What model do you have?
 
O

orava

Member
Thrakier said:
i3 is wasted money, i5 is overpriced.

Build your own device, get way more performance for same or less money.
Click to expand...

Yes, yes. Have fun.

rxLjP9p.gif
 
J

jaaz

Member
Thrakier said:
i3 is wasted money, i5 is overpriced.

Build your own device, get way more performance for same or less money.
Click to expand...

Didn't you already make this point the last page? I think people understand your opinion on this, no need to repeat it on every page.
 
D

Dreamwriter

Member
Thrakier said:
Build your own device, get way more performance for same or less money.
Click to expand...
I already smashed this myth...in a response to you even!

Dreamwriter said:
Well, let's see how much a "bad deal" it is, using NewEgg prices:
2GB 750ti, $145
Core i3 4130 Haswell, $112
4GB DDR3, $35
Windows 8.1, $100
XBox 360 wireless controller, $45

Total without motherboard, power supply, case: $437 to get equivalent power (but no way you can get it in a case that small with a full size graphics card)

Seems like $549 for that stuff in a nice compact case with a custom launcher is a good deal to me, not overpriced at all. And that's not counting the free games you get with it.
Click to expand...

If you spend the same money, you get similar performance, assuming you can find a case/motherboard/power supply for $112, and if you are buying that cheap of a case, it's definitely not going to be anywhere near as compact.
 
J

jaaz

Member
Thinking about getting this as a gift for someone that is mostly a console gamer. Is it worth splurging for the i7? The money difference isn't a big deal for me, but I of course don't want to waste money. I just want to make sure that it lasts for them as long as possible, and since it's apparently not upgradeable, I am tempted to get the best configuration for them now. Thanks.
 
D

Dreamwriter

Member
jaaz said:
Thinking about getting this as a gift for someone that is mostly a console gamer. Is it worth splurging for the i7? The money difference isn't a big deal for me, but I of course don't want to waste money. I just want to make sure that it lasts for them as long as possible, and since it's apparently not upgradeable, I am tempted to get the best configuration for them now. Thanks.
Click to expand...

Personally, I would get the i5 version, that's the best "bang for your buck".
 
O

outunderthestars

Banned
jaaz said:
Thinking about getting this as a gift for someone that is mostly a console gamer. Is it worth splurging for the i7? The money difference isn't a big deal for me, but I of course don't want to waste money. I just want to make sure that it lasts for them as long as possible, and since it's apparently not upgradeable, I am tempted to get the best configuration for them now. Thanks.
Click to expand...

I agree with Dream that the i5 is the current sweetspot in terms of performance.
 
I

itchyass86

Member
berva said:
Yes the issue is finding one of those "T" processors as not too many stores stock them. Wish I had picked up on this before ordering the i5-4690. Will need to either onward sell on ebay or return to shop as the 85W will be a problem.

I wish they were a little clearer on the messaging around CPU upgrades. I read on their FAQ and i quote:

"Is the system upgradable?

Memory- can be upgraded to 16GB DDR3L
Processor- Desktop Haswell Processors
Hard Drive- 2.5 inch Notebook HDD’s, Solid State Drives, Sata 3 1.5 inch Slim drives "

https://www.alienwarearena.com/forums/thread/76638/hardware-software/alienware-alpha-faq
Click to expand...

I just saw your Reddit post. Good job on installing the i5-4690!

https://www.reddit.com/r/Alienware/comments/2mx01l/alienware_alpha/cmkns3d
 
dugdug

dugdug

Banned
jaaz said:
Thinking about getting this as a gift for someone that is mostly a console gamer. Is it worth splurging for the i7? The money difference isn't a big deal for me, but I of course don't want to waste money. I just want to make sure that it lasts for them as long as possible, and since it's apparently not upgradeable, I am tempted to get the best configuration for them now. Thanks.
Click to expand...

Keep in mind, everything is upgradable, except for the GPU.

So, technically, you can buy any version, and, they can upgrade to an i7 if they want to.
 
T

The Real Abed

Perma-Junior
How about emulation? Specifically the PS2. How well does it run games like DQVIII or SOTC? Games I have for PS2 but look like crap on a HDTV.
 
O

outunderthestars

Banned
ChosenPredator said:
so how are people like it so far it's been awhile anything positive/negative? any other competitors out to look into? just curious
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I love mine, but have struggled a bit learning about PC gaming. Launching a game to find 6-10 sliders (with no explanation or context as to what they do) is a bit intimidating thus far. That said, I have really enjoyed being a PC gamer.

I will say that they custom UI is kind of useless and I find myself booting to the desktop most of the time. It really should come with a small keyboard and trackpad combo as it really is a necessity.
 
C

ChosenPredator

Banned
outunderthestars said:
I love mine, but have struggled a bit learning about PC gaming. Launching a game to find 6-10 sliders (with no explanation or context as to what they do) is a bit intimidating thus far. That said, I have really enjoyed being a PC gamer.

I will say that they custom UI is kind of useless and I find myself booting to the desktop most of the time. It really should come with a small keyboard and trackpad combo as it really is a necessity.
Click to expand...

that is good to hear just really debating the decision because i know if i pull the trigger 2 weeks later some other version might be announced, I am wondering if this thing is good for streaming or running two monitors
 
O

outunderthestars

Banned
ChosenPredator said:
that is good to hear just really debating the decision because i know if i pull the trigger 2 weeks later some other version might be announced, I am wondering if this thing is good for streaming or running two monitors
Click to expand...


I would say no. I would look to a system with non-mobile versions of the CPU and GPU for that kind of thing. The PC building thread might be able to offer a bit more horsepower for streaming/ dual monitors.
 
R

RM8

Member
This is very appealing to me, but it's apparently not available in Mexico :( This is exactly what I need - a beefy-enough PC that is small / easily transported and that will let me play modern games just fine.
 
T

The Real Abed

Perma-Junior
I'm just disappointed neither ArsTechnica or Anandtech did reviews of them. Hardly anyone did. Though the ones that did were pleasantly surprised by them. Still, I really wanted the huge in-depth reviews Ars and Anand usually do.
 
M

Marceles

Member
AngmarsKing701 said:
Some of us have zero desire to build one ourselves. I'm 100% confident I would fuck that up.
Click to expand...

I understand you, I just think non-builders overcomplicate the building process. I was the same way but finally built my first PC in April. I thought it'd be way tougher but it turned from having zero desire to having PC building withdrawals. This rig seems like a good buy though.
 
T

tmtyf

Member
The Real Abed said:
How about emulation? Specifically the PS2. How well does it run games like DQVIII or SOTC? Games I have for PS2 but look like crap on a HDTV.
Click to expand...

I'm actually kind of curious about this myself, as well as dolphin. I have a strong pc but would like something slim form to put under my tv to play when im in the bedroom. To be quite honest the cost isnt that bad like some people are making it out to be.
 
R

RM8

Member
Would one of these be able to play most games released in the following year or two? Not necessarily at max settings, I don't mind mid settings, 720p, etc. I understand I'd be better building a PC, but I'm traveling next year and I'd really appreciate something that I can bring with me. And no, I think I'd rather have this than a laptop.
 
N

NEO0MJ

Member
Rm88~ said:
Would one of these be able to play most games released in the following year or two? Not necessarily at max settings, I don't mind mid settings, 720p, etc. I understand I'd be better building a PC, but I'm traveling next year and I'd really appreciate something that I can bring with me. And no, I think I'd rather have this than a laptop.
Click to expand...

The 860m is a decent GPU but I'd be worried about the low ram and the CPU for future games.
 
S

Seanspeed

Banned
tmtyf said:
I'm actually kind of curious about this myself, as well as dolphin. I have a strong pc but would like something slim form to put under my tv to play when im in the bedroom. To be quite honest the cost isnt that bad like some people are making it out to be.
Click to expand...
The bottom level one is *not* what you want for emulation at all, being a low power dual core. You'd probably have to splurge for the more expensive models with at least 4 cores/4 threads.

Rm88~ said:
Would one of these be able to play most games released in the following year or two? Not necessarily at max settings, I don't mind mid settings, 720p, etc. I understand I'd be better building a PC, but I'm traveling next year and I'd really appreciate something that I can bring with me. And no, I think I'd rather have this than a laptop.
Click to expand...
At 720p, yea. At 1080p? I'm sure it'll play most games at 1080p, but I'm also sure there will be some that will require a pretty big drop in settings. Beyond 2-3 years, I'm guessing there will be games that this might not be able to run at all.

The Real Abed said:
Both of which can be easily upgraded.
Click to expand...
Neither of which can be upgraded, actually. That's why people should really get a good grasp of what this can do cuz that's it.
 
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